Hurst is a historic 16th century castle, near the city of Portsmouth, South England, United Kingdom.
Built on the order of King Henry VIII between 1541-1544 to guard against possible invasion by France and the Holy Roman Empire, which never materialised.
Early August, 2026, saw a special visitor to the castle, Tony Giles. Tony is totally blind and partially deaf. Having made his way alone from Chichester to Keyhaven via train and taxi, he stepped off the ferry at Hurst.
In his company, I discovered that the castle is a very tactile and atmospheric place, from drawbridge chains and granite stones to the portcullis. A model built by Michael McCabe, another volunteer, enabled Tony to feel his way around the castle, whilst the 12½-inch cannon and shell carrier brought some of the weaponry to life.
Describing the Hurst Narrows from the west wing brought home, I hope, the strategic position of the castle and its defensive importance for so many years.
The castle has many potential trip hazards for the sighted, let alone for the blind. Tony being an intrepid traveller took it all in his stride. In his own words, Hurst is ‘a proper castle with lots of space and strong walls’.
Personally I found the visit rewarding and I was able to experience the castle from a different perspective, so thank you, Tony. Come again and we’ll explore some more.
Tony in his travels around the world raises money for Galloways, a society for blind people in Northwest England –
www.tonythetraveller.com .
Facebook: www.facebook.com/theblindbackpacker
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/TonyGilesTraveller